Expert Advice from wedding guru, Sharon Naylor

Answer:

This is something you'll have to discuss as a couple, since it would be terribly unfair for either of you to have a ceremony that doesn't suit your style or wishes. When it comes to second weddings, this is a common dilemma, since one partner often feels the need to 'keep it small' and the other wants the big event he or she didn't get the first time around.

A question to ask yourself: do you feel that it would ruin your wedding experience to have friends and family present when you take your vows? Perhaps you can agree to follow the trend of making the ceremony 'close family and friends only,' and then have a larger celebration with extended friends, family, colleagues, etc. Some couples plan a super-small, VIP-guestlist ceremony just so that it's more intimate and so that other guests don't feel obligated to be there, if the ceremony site is far from the reception site, if there are several hours between the ceremony and reception, and so on. Talk about the trend together and see what kind of compromise you can agree on.